Editor, The Spotlight:
Albany County Democrats have a choice for family court judge in the Sept. 10 primary. I cannot imagine a better choice than Sue Kushner.
I have known Sue for over 30 years. No one works harder or cares more about doing a job well. She has a great heart for people from all circumstances. Simply put, she is one of the finest people I know.
Family court judges make decisions on often highly emotional matters, including child abuse and neglect, custody and visitation, adoption, paternity, family offenses, child support, juvenile delinquency and persons in need of supervision (PINS). No other judges have so much direct impact on the lives of individual adults, youths and young children.
Family Court matters and Sue has great experience for the job. She has practiced before nearly every family court judge who has served our county over the last 25 years. She has worked as both a prosecutor and defender in the court and handled children’s offenses as well. She also served on the Albany Board of Education and knows how family court can work with schools to give them and their students better chances for success.
Sue knows from all her experiences that treating all the people who come before the court with dignity, respect and firmness makes it more likely that they will follow through on what they must do to move forward with their lives.
It is so fitting too, that Sue is seeking a job with “family” in its title, because family is so central to her whole life. After her own parents divorced, she helped raise and guide her six siblings. While neither of her parents were able to finish high school, Sue became the first in her family to graduate from college. Then she went through Albany Law School and became an attorney. While practicing her profession and helping lead community organizations, she has also been a volunteer mentor to young people for 14 years. Last, with her husband Steve Allinger, they have raised three great kids of their own.
Sue Kushner is a great candidate for Family Court Judge and I am certain she will do a great job for all the families of Albany County.
Robert Lowry
Delmar